Why is My Car Leaking Oil?

Since you’re here, it’s safe to say you probably found a big puddle of oil underneath your car recently. At Word Ford Pensacola, our service team wants to help drivers in the Pensacola, Crestview, and Fort Walton Beach areas know what they can do about oil leaks on their vehicle.

Read more to learn about what causes oil leaks and how you can address them before they become a bigger issue.

What is Causing the Leak

So, your engine has a lot of moving parts that make it run and all those moving parts create a lot of friction. In order to prevent damage to the parts and generally to mitigate overheating throughout the engine, you need engine oil to lubricate the system and keep everything running smoothly.

However, in order to effectively distribute oil throughout the engine, there are a series of tubes and hoses that keep oil flowing without pouring it straight onto the engine. In order to keep all that oil in, there are rubber seals and gaskets that keep everything nice and tight, so nothing leaks out.

Oftentimes, though, these seals and gaskets will wear down over time and they’ll need to be replaced. You may see a little oil leak over time but as the gaskets continue to degrade, the oil will leak more and more. The earlier you have this problem addressed, the better.

Signs of an Oil Leak

Your car has a lot of fluid flowing throughout it, such as transmission fluid, coolant, brake fluid, etc. If your oil is leaking, you’ll see a brown puddle under your vehicle. The brown color is important because if it was any other color, then you’d be looking at a different fluid. For example, transmission fluid will appear red and coolant can often appear green.

Apart from creating a messy brown puddle under your car, leaking oil can also be identified by rapidly draining oil reserves. It’s always good to check your oil whenever possible. If you notice that your oil is draining quickly, then it means you’re leaking oil.

You may also notice a burning oil smell coming from your engine. This smell is caused by the oil leaking directly onto the engine and quickly burning up from the heat of the moving parts. Another symptom of this happening is a blue color to your exhaust. If you smell a burning odor, it never hurts to go out and check your tailpipe.

What to Do if You Have an Oil Leak

If you find that your vehicle is leaking oil, it’s always best to schedule maintenance as soon as possible. Typically, this problem is caused by a bad rubber gasket and it can be fixed relatively quickly and affordably.

Still, it’s important not to ignore these problems because not only will leaking oil make you fill your oil more often, but it can also damage your engine. To keep your engine nice and healthy, it’s best to address this problem as soon as possible.

Schedule Your Maintenance with Us

If you’re looking to have your oil leak repaired, our dealership can help. At World Ford Pensacola, we want drivers in the Pensacola, Crestview, and Fort Walton Beach areas to always get the repairs they need when they need them.

If your engine oil is leaking, schedule your next maintenance appointment with us online or over the phone today!